| Matt Kressel September 13, 2008 |
| About Matt Kressel Matthew Kressel realized upon his Saturnian return that his right brain was being neglected. Prior to that time he had invested most of his days writing computer programs and most of his nights being awakened at all hours by petulant pagers in order to insert tiny bits of logic into mindless, blinking, calculating machines so that the human race wouldn't have to stop its endless grinding and bustle and think for a moment about where this incessant activity might be taking them. His right brain had sat patient all that time, sneaking in a few poems, some drawings, and a story or two here and there. But his left brain wouldn't have it. So one day his right brain initiated a rebellion. Matthew took up guitar playing and drawing and writing all in the same year. His left brain didn't know what to do; it fought back with threats of financial ruin, of insanity, of ever more late night fits where it tried to insert its tiresome logic into a world that would not become less ineffable merely because humanity made feeble attempts to quantize the universe into something known. And since that time, though his left hemisphere oftentimes resists his bursts of creation, he has published several stories, started the speculative fiction magazine, Sybil's Garage, and has completed a novel. He also sometimes writes music, though he won't play it for you unless you ask. (But what about his drawings?) Writing takes a lot of time, but if you ask nicely, he might just let you see some of his old stuff. For more on Matthew Kressel: Matthew Kressel www.matthewkressel.net |
Post Meeting Write-up
Yes as Steve mentioned Whispers From Beyond/Face The
Fiction was a good time (as usual). Matt began by reading
his short story "The Bricks of Gelecek", from the upcoming
Ellen Datlow-edited anthology, Naked City: New Tales of
Urban Fantasy. The story has a creepy almost Twilight
Zone-ish feel to it. After reading to us, Matt opened the floor
up to questions. The questions were wide and varied.
Everything from what he likes to read to what he grew up
reading, how he came to publish his 'zine Sybil's Garage
and how it got its name, etc.
The story of how his 'zine came to be known as Sybil's
Garage is kind of an amusing story. He was out with some
friends in Hoboken, near Steven's Institute of Technology
and he remembered Sybil's Cave. Sybil's Cave was the
location of the murder of Mary Rogers in 1841 which inspired
the Edgar Allan Poe story "The Mystery of Marie Roget". Matt
suggested calling the 'zine Sybil's Cave when one of his
friends joked that since Hoboken is being built up and paved
over everywhere, Sybil's Cave was probably a garage now.
Matt adopted the name of Sybil's Garage for his 'zine. Joe
Havasy confirmed that Sybil's Cave does still actually exist as
a cave. He said the entrance to it is covered over to keep
kids from the nearby skatepark out, but it is still there.
Matt brought with him two versions of Sybil's Garage 1,
which featured short stories by his friends, and a copy of
Sybil's Garage 2. Sybil's Garage 3, 4, and 5 were available
for purchase as was Paper Cities - an Anthology of Urban
Fantasy, all publications from Matt's company, Senses Five
Press (www.sensesfive. com).
As Steve pointed out, Matt is a member of the Altered Fluid
writing group and co-hosts the KGB Fantastic Fiction reading
series with Ellen Datlow. In an email to me after his
presentation, he reminded me to let everyone know that the
SFSNNJ is welcome to come to KGB and if we do, he wants
us to say hello.
We adjourned to Stateline Diner. However, Matt and his
cousin (his ride) were unable to join us. They were off to
meet up with our March guest and Matt's personal friend,
John Joseph Adams who recommended us to Matt. (Jo)
I enjoyed Matt's opening of the Q & A segment: "Are you all
familiar with the book What Color Is Your Parachute? Well, I
had no parachute. I jumped without one - no plan, and I
never thought of being a writer." He then went on to discuss
how he became a writer (humble beginnings in a print shop)
and editor. You can check out his Senses Five Press at
www.sensesfive.com. He thoroughly answered all of the
questions asked and had a great sense of humor. (AM)
We opened our Whispers from Beyond segment at 7:30 with
Kate Landis reading a Jonathan Maberry story from a
relatively new anthology (whose name escapes me at the
moment), which had everyone mesmerized. Then we chatted
for a few minutes before I introduced Matt Kressel to the
group "promptly at 8:00 p.m" (thank you, Brian K).
Matt proceeded to read his complete short story "The Bricks
of Gelecek" which again had everyone mesmerized
(especially Gene!). Matt talked about how he came to found
Senses Five Press & publish the magazine Sybil's Garage
(named after a cave in Hoboken which probably has turned
into a garage by now, according to his friends), which he
decided not to use to boost his own fiction writing (although
he does contribute essays and interviews). He also
discussed the writers group he belongs to & the Fantastic
Fiction reading series he co-hosts. He said that writing is his
first love but he enjoys the publishing end of it too.
Questions were asked & Matt had a chance to sell & sign
copies of his zine & the anthology Paper Cities before
heading back to Brooklyn. The room was straightened up
before folks headed off to the Stateline Diner to continue the
evening.
Next month the SFSNNJ returns to "haunt" the Bergen
Museum of Science at the Bergen Mall in Paramus with the
legendary "Ghost Hunter" Linda Zimmerman. (Steve
Spinosa)
Yes as Steve mentioned Whispers From Beyond/Face The
Fiction was a good time (as usual). Matt began by reading
his short story "The Bricks of Gelecek", from the upcoming
Ellen Datlow-edited anthology, Naked City: New Tales of
Urban Fantasy. The story has a creepy almost Twilight
Zone-ish feel to it. After reading to us, Matt opened the floor
up to questions. The questions were wide and varied.
Everything from what he likes to read to what he grew up
reading, how he came to publish his 'zine Sybil's Garage
and how it got its name, etc.
The story of how his 'zine came to be known as Sybil's
Garage is kind of an amusing story. He was out with some
friends in Hoboken, near Steven's Institute of Technology
and he remembered Sybil's Cave. Sybil's Cave was the
location of the murder of Mary Rogers in 1841 which inspired
the Edgar Allan Poe story "The Mystery of Marie Roget". Matt
suggested calling the 'zine Sybil's Cave when one of his
friends joked that since Hoboken is being built up and paved
over everywhere, Sybil's Cave was probably a garage now.
Matt adopted the name of Sybil's Garage for his 'zine. Joe
Havasy confirmed that Sybil's Cave does still actually exist as
a cave. He said the entrance to it is covered over to keep
kids from the nearby skatepark out, but it is still there.
Matt brought with him two versions of Sybil's Garage 1,
which featured short stories by his friends, and a copy of
Sybil's Garage 2. Sybil's Garage 3, 4, and 5 were available
for purchase as was Paper Cities - an Anthology of Urban
Fantasy, all publications from Matt's company, Senses Five
Press (www.sensesfive. com).
As Steve pointed out, Matt is a member of the Altered Fluid
writing group and co-hosts the KGB Fantastic Fiction reading
series with Ellen Datlow. In an email to me after his
presentation, he reminded me to let everyone know that the
SFSNNJ is welcome to come to KGB and if we do, he wants
us to say hello.
We adjourned to Stateline Diner. However, Matt and his
cousin (his ride) were unable to join us. They were off to
meet up with our March guest and Matt's personal friend,
John Joseph Adams who recommended us to Matt. (Jo)
I enjoyed Matt's opening of the Q & A segment: "Are you all
familiar with the book What Color Is Your Parachute? Well, I
had no parachute. I jumped without one - no plan, and I
never thought of being a writer." He then went on to discuss
how he became a writer (humble beginnings in a print shop)
and editor. You can check out his Senses Five Press at
www.sensesfive.com. He thoroughly answered all of the
questions asked and had a great sense of humor. (AM)
We opened our Whispers from Beyond segment at 7:30 with
Kate Landis reading a Jonathan Maberry story from a
relatively new anthology (whose name escapes me at the
moment), which had everyone mesmerized. Then we chatted
for a few minutes before I introduced Matt Kressel to the
group "promptly at 8:00 p.m" (thank you, Brian K).
Matt proceeded to read his complete short story "The Bricks
of Gelecek" which again had everyone mesmerized
(especially Gene!). Matt talked about how he came to found
Senses Five Press & publish the magazine Sybil's Garage
(named after a cave in Hoboken which probably has turned
into a garage by now, according to his friends), which he
decided not to use to boost his own fiction writing (although
he does contribute essays and interviews). He also
discussed the writers group he belongs to & the Fantastic
Fiction reading series he co-hosts. He said that writing is his
first love but he enjoys the publishing end of it too.
Questions were asked & Matt had a chance to sell & sign
copies of his zine & the anthology Paper Cities before
heading back to Brooklyn. The room was straightened up
before folks headed off to the Stateline Diner to continue the
evening.
Next month the SFSNNJ returns to "haunt" the Bergen
Museum of Science at the Bergen Mall in Paramus with the
legendary "Ghost Hunter" Linda Zimmerman. (Steve
Spinosa)
 |
 |
 |